Softball Kicks Off Conference Play with Sweep of Flyers

Loyola softball traveled to Dayton, Ohio to begin conference play against the University of Dayton March 8-9, winning all three of their games. 

Game 1: March 8

Action didn’t start Sunday morning until the fourth inning when first-year outfielder Megan Piotrowski singled down the left field line to bring first-year outfielder Alexis Hansen across the plate. Dayton responded in the next inning with a homer to center field from Flyers second-year pitcher and utility player Camrynn Linneman. 

Third-year infielder Nat Lesnicki hit a home run to center field at the end of the sixth inning to bring the Ramblers to a 2-1 lead. Flyers second-year infielder Juliana Gonzalez singled to left field as third-year infielder Kirnan Bailey ran home to bring the game to a tie. 

Loyola secured the win in the ninth inning when second-year infielder and outfielder Alli Pawlowicz ran home on a single by redshirt second-year infielder Liz Sedakis. 

Game 2: March 8

Loyola started the afternoon in the third inning with a double to left field from Piotrowski to bring fourth-year outfielder Sierra Sass and redshirt third-year catcher Abbie Gregus home. 

The Ramblers gained three more runs in the fifth inning, starting with a walk from Sedakis bringing Lesnicki home.  A double to left field by second-year outfielder Averi Vander Woude brought third-year infielder Skyler Croker and Piotrowski across the plate for a 5-0 Rambler lead. 

Dayton scored their first run in the seventh inning resulting from a fielding error by left fielder Piotrowski, which allowed Flyers first-year catcher and outfielder Izzy Calinski to run home. Flyers first-year outfielder Maura Carmody reached home on the next play after a Bailey walk. 

Flyers second-year catcher and first baseman Katelin Goodwin singled to second base and brought second-year outfielder Mickie Shively across the plate, but it wasn’t enough to close the gap on Loyola’s 5-3 win. 

Game 3: March 9

Loyola started hot in the first inning with a double to left field from first-year infielder and pitcher Anna Kiel to bring Lesnicki home. 

The Ramblers continued in the second inning when a fielding error by Flyers redshirt second-year outfielder Dee Hyde allowed Borg to score. Lesnicki singled up the middle on the next play, and Sass and Gregus both crossed the plate. 

Sedakis hit a grounder to second baseman Gonzalez, which allowed Pawlowicz to strengthen the Loyola lead. Kiel doubled to left center the next at-bat, where Piotrowski and Lesnicki crossed the plate to end the second inning up 8-0. 

Play was slow until the fourth inning when Sedakis singled up the middle, and Lesnicki ran home. Rambler defense held Dayton to no runs for the next inning and a half, ending the first round of conference play with a shutout. 

Head coach Alicia Abbott said their failures in the pre-season helped improve the team this weekend. 

“That’s the point of pre-season, to help you prepare for the conference season,” Abbott said. “We weren’t perfect this weekend, but we figured out how to score runs and keep them off balance.”

The Ramblers are making a stop in Indiana on their way back to Chicago to take on Indiana University March 11. First pitch is scheduled for 3 p.m. and can be streamed on the Big Ten Network.